Things to Hold Close Right Now

Plus GLP-1s and disordered eating, body grief, what makes a body "healthy," and more from this year's favorite posts and episodes. (and a DISCOUNT for you!)

Gentle holidays, my friends. And yes, I say ‘gentle’ here with intention. Because I know that this season isn’t always happy or easy. On top of that, 2025 has felt like an emotional rollercoaster we never agreed to board—political grief and rage tugging at us, while our nervous systems quietly beg for moments of joy and relief wherever we can find them. (I saw a post that said this year feels like being awake during surgery, and… that’s accurate).

I hope that whatever this next week brings, you can respond by protecting your peace and offering yourself softness where you used to find only judgment or resistance. And please find space for the glimmers! The little things that make you smile, take a deep breath, remember what this whole life thing is really about.

Today I am sharing some of the most popular posts this year—which includes a mix of free and paid content.

And as a big thank you (or: “wow, we made it through this year somehow”) gift…

I’m offering 25% off annual subscriptions now through the end of the month. This comes to about $4 per month.

You can also gift a subscription, which is something I’ve loved gifting family and friends—to authors’ Substacks that I want to support. Something that lasts a year feels so lovely.

I’ve got so much goodness coming for you in 2026—from deeper conversations on the podcast, to a series of Q&A newsletters on GLP-1s, to the “ick” I’m getting from certain intuitive eating content.

My work here is made possible by paid subscriptions. It’s just me, writing and recording, and this is why some episodes and posts are paywalled—and why I’m offering a discount to close out the year. It makes a huge difference, and allows me to continue to show up.

Baked these two days ago — white chocolate macadamia nut blondies, plus some blobs of extra chocolate chip cookie dough I had in the freezer, and almonds (because I ran out of macadamia nuts lol), and of course… sprinkles.

Thank you for being here—for being part of hard conversations; for supporting body liberation and anti-diet journalism; for choosing yourself, little by little, in a world that profits from us distrusting our bodies. You belong in the body you have, your lived experience matters, and you deserve to take up space.

So with that, a collection of posts to explore from 2025:

on bodies in general:

• 9 Reasons Not to Talk About Your Diet or Weight Loss at Holiday Gatherings

• What If I’m Just Uncomfortable Being Fat?

• What Makes a Body “Healthy”?

• The (Diet) Culture of Not Enough: Can We Satisfy the Unsatisfiable?

• What the Fuck is Happening in My Body?

on GLP-1s and the thin-is-in trend:

• GLP-1s and Disordered Eating: What’s Not Being Talked About

• What Celebrities Shrink: GLP-1s, Grief, and the Cost of Weight Loss in the Media

• How Under-Eating Impacts our Hormones and Long-Term Health

• Our Culture Tells Us to Starve Our Bodies “On Purpose” — While Others Starve

on compassion with food and nutrition:

• Obsessing Over Our Health is not "Healthy"

• Is "Just Eat When You're Hungry and Stop When You're Full" Good Advice?

• When I Ask: Are You Sure You're Eating Enough?

• Disordered Eating or Eating Disorder? And, Is There a Difference?

• The Chronic Illness, Body Image, and Disordered Eating Pipeline

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So wander through these posts at your own pace. Skip the ones you’re not ready for. Come back to the ones that feel like they’re tapping you gently on the shoulder saying, hey… this one’s for you.

(and don’t forget to grab that 25% off a paid subscription if you want access too all the paywalled content!).

May the end of this year meet you with less urgency and more care.
May you take up space—at the table, in your body, in your own life.
And may choosing yourself feel a little less radical, and a little more like coming home.

Gentle holidays, truly.

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How do you like to spend this season?
What does choosing yourself look and feel like right now?
Where are you finding a little more softness?
What was a recent glimmer?